What To Do When You Don’t Know What Your Dream Job Is

We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners.

A lot of people have a path in life that they believe is the right one for them. They have a job or a career or simply a type of work in mind and it gives them direction in their job search. However, some people haven’t found that path yet and it can cause a lot of confusion, frustration, and heart-ache. So, how exactly do you find out what kind of job or career you should be aiming at?

Consider your strengths

Though some people like to be driven to constantly develop, to fill in their weak spots and develop new strengths, we all tend to have a better time when we are working to our strengths. As such, it’s important to take the time to examine your work history and to find out what your strengths are. For instance, you might be detail-oriented, you might be a people-person, you might be driven to work productively under pressure.

Some people haven’t found their path yet and it can cause a lot of confusion, frustration, and heart-ache. So, how exactly do you find out what kind of job or career you should be aiming at?

You can then find the training that turns these strengths into increased employability. Look at the careers that tend to benefit from your strengths. For instance, if you have a strong stomach and are a people person, then getting into a healthcare position such as working as an EMT or nurse might worth considering.

Get to know what drives you

Aside from specific career paths, it’s a good idea to get a notion of what kind of work you prefer to do, what working environments you prefer, and what drives you in the workplace, to begin with. When it comes to finding your own interests, needs, and what stresses you out, you can use the same tools that employers use. The Birkman test is a personality test that can help you get a much better idea of what kind of worker you are. It can also help you see whether you fit into categories of a doer, communicator, analyzer, or thinker, which can help you see which kinds of roles you do and don’t suit.

Consider how different careers fit your life

You can love the type of work you might end up doing in a certain job or career, but it might not be a great fit for you if it also doesn’t fit the life that you currently have or the life that you’re trying to work towards. You can start by creating a life satisfaction spreadsheet, and see if the jobs you are currently considering fit the categories that contribute to your satisfaction most. For instance, if you value having home and family time, then jobs that demand flexible schedules may not be the best fit for you or the life that you want to build.

It’s important to know that some people are more work-motivated and career-motivated than others. If you still can’t find your dream job, then maybe work isn’t what’s going to motivate your development in life and it might be better to focus on what’s available and advantageous and not worry about it too much.